The present invention generally relates to communication networks, such as wireless communication networks, and particularly relates to congestion control within such networks.
Inter-node connections within communication networks can give rise to congestion problems. For example, some types of next-generation wireless communication networks use Internet Protocol (IP) and/or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) delivery networks between communication nodes within the larger wireless communication network. Non-limiting examples of such networks include those based on cdma2000 (Rev. D) standards, Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) standards, and High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) standards, such as those based on the IS-856 standards.
In particular, WCDMA-based Radio Access Networks (RANs) use ATM-based delivery networks to couple Radio Base Stations (RBSs) with their supporting Radio Network Controllers (RNCs). The network connection between a given RBS, referred to as a “Node B” in the WCDMA-related standards, and its supporting RNC may comprise multiple ATM hops. Further, the ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (AAL2) connections comprising the overall connection path may be switched onto different AAL2 paths at intermediate nodes within the ATM delivery network. Similar RNC-to-RBS connection complexities may arise in RANs based on the cdma2000 standards.
Delivery bottlenecks may arise in such network connections. That is, the delivery networks between RNCs and RBSs can become congested and, therefore, represent a potential communication bottleneck that can result in degraded service on one or more of the data connections being supported through the RBSs and their corresponding RNCs.